Central station for carrier-dispatch systems



May l2, 1925. 1,537,569

F. G. wHxTTIER ET AL CENTRAL STATION FOR CARRIER DISPATCH SYSTEMS FiledAuz. 5, 1922 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 May l2, 1925. 1,537,569

F. G. wHlTTll-:R ET Al..

CENTRAL STATION FOR CARRIER DISPATCH SYSTEMS Filed Aus. 5, 1922 4Sheets-Sheet 2 Zd Q51 iaryer QJE m WN May l2, 1925.

1,537,569 F. G. wHlTTlER ET AL CENTRAL STATION FOR CARRIER DISPATCHSYSTEMS Filed Auer. 5, 1922 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 b /v/ ola7 451 Tgyer \k,.;.GIZ a'.

May l2, 1925.

1,537,569 F. G. wHlTTlER ET A1.

CENTRAL STATION FOR CARRIER DISPATCH SYSTEMS Filed AuE. 5, 1922 4Sheets-Sheet 4 fig-8 Gfx@ AMM m mm

/02/ l l l i /J /07 /00 ,016 70/ L* 0 l?. l /LE /O' 1 x l Al Ewen/$0746,

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Patented May 12, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FREDERICK G. WHITTIER, OF IPSWICH, MASSACHUSETTS, AND HAROLD S. TEAYEB,OF TENAFLY, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOBS TO THE LAMSON COMPANY, OF BOSTON,MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS.

CENTRAL STATION FOR CARRIER-DISPATCH SYSTEMS.

Application led August 5, 1922. Serial No, 579,884.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that we, FREDERICK G'. Wnrr- Tien and H xnoLo S. THAYER,citizens of the United States of America, and residents ot Ipswich andTenatly in the counties of Essex and Bergen and States of Massachusettsand New Jersey, respectively, have invented new and useful Improvementsin Central Stations for Carrier-Dispatch Systems, of which the followingis a specifica tion.

This invention relates to central station apparatus useful in dispatchsystems Wherein carriers for merchandise, papers, money, etc. arereceived at a central point from any of a series of outlying stationsand from which central station such carriers, after removal, exchange orinspection of their contents, are returned to the respective scndingstations. For purposes of illustration the invention is herein explainedas applied to the central or cashiers station of a car rier dispatchsystem of that type commonly employed in stores, and in which thecarriers are transmitted to and from the cashiers station by means of anendless traveling cable.

The resent invention secures the advantages o an improved relation ofcentral station facilities to the number of operators and the activityof the business in a cabie actuated carrier system.l The patent toWhittier, No. 1,365,428, January ii, 192i, explains the value ofimprovement of such relations in connection with a central station forpneumatic dispatch carriers, and his patent may be referred to for itsdiscussion of the advantages of a proper relation of the activity ot anysuch system to the central station facilities, and for its instances ofimproved central station handling of the traffic in carrier dispatchsystems of the pneumatic type. While the pneumatic system ofcarrier'distribution is in many respects the most elicient heretoforedevised` it has not as yet come into universal use. In many of the olderestablishments having cable carrier systems installed, the proprietorsare reluctant to change to a pneumatic system, the expense and troubleof maling such change being regarded as a reason for retaining thereasonably satisfactory cable system.- `The smaller first cost andgreater compactness of cable installation is often inducive to adecision in its favor for new, particularly the smaller, establishments,while in some cases mere personal idiosyncrases on the part ofproprietors have been responsible for the choice of the cable sys-y tem.For these reasons the cable systems occupy a valuable and permanentplace in the art.

As mercantile establishments grow, the demands upon the cashiersdepartment constantly increase, and when such department is served by acable system, the same diculties of efficient central station service asin the case of pneumatic systems are encountered. The cable carriersystem bein typically, though not exclusively, employed in smallerstores Where saving in space and expense in installation are matters ofgreat importance, it is desirable to provide that the central stationapparatus shall be com pact, and so arranged as to permit theperformance of a maximum number o`f transactions in a given floor space.

The volume of business in mercantile establishments fluctuates greatlyfrom day to day and even from hour to hour and in small establishmentsthe business may at times become'so small that a. single operator shouldbe able to care both for cash and credit transactions. lt is thusdesirable to provide a central station apparatus suitable for use withany of the usual cash carrier systems and use by as many operators as:nav be necessary for heavy business, but which shall be of a charactersuch as to permit of the delivery to and return by a single operator, ifnecessary, of incoming carriers of all kinds arriving from any of thevarious outlying stations.

The empioyment of closed carriers in a carrier dispatch system makes itnecessary for the operator at the central station to grasp the carrierand manipulate some part or parts of the carriers in order to gainaccess to the interior. If, however, the carriers be deliveredpromiscuously, the operator must make a conscious ecrt to so grasp acarrier as to permit it to he opened quickly and without danger ofspilling its contents. As the work at the central station during rushperiods, at least, must be performed with the utmost dispatch`eliiciency demands that the movements required of the operator bereduced to a minimum, and that such movements as are absolutelynecessary should be of unvarying character, so that the may becomesubstantiall involuntary.

'lyhe principal objects of t e present invention are accordingly toprovide for ellicient receipt at, handling and dispatch of carriers fromthe central station of a dispatch system in such a manner that eachoutlying station may be served with equal rapidity, and in the sequenceof and arrival o f carriers from any of the outlying stations at thecentral Station; and to provide for permitting the number of operatorsemployed to be determined in direct ratio to the volurne of businesstransacted.

Other objects are to provide a central station apparatus for cashcarrier systems of a simple, compact, durable and inexpensive type andadapted to receive incoming carriers without necessitating anymanipulation of the carrier or of its parts to release it from its guiderail, track, or other conductor, and to distribute such carriers inorderly succession and in similarly oriented position Within easy reachof the operator or operators, as well as to provide forV the convenientreturn of carriers to the .respective sending stations, all with aminimum amount oie exertion on the part of the operator.

Specific Ways of and apparatus for attaining the above objects selectedfor explanation of this invention provide a central station desk ofelongate form having o erators stations upon one or both sides an havingthe incoming or delivery ends of the carrier guideways from the variousoutlying sending or clerks stat.ions.arranged in aA bank at one or bothends of the desk, and preferably centrally of: the width of the desk.The delivery ends of such guideways are substantiall unobstructed sothat carriers drop freey therefrom. As the carriers drop, they arereceived upon an inclined chute or a moving belt or both and are causedto move in succession, and in the order received, longitudinally of thedesk and preferably along its middle, Where they are readiliy)7accessible to operators Seated at one or oth sides ofthe desk. The chuteor belt may have associated therewith guiding means whereby the carriersare prevented from turning during their movement along the desk and arethus alwa s presented in predetermined position to e grasped by theoperator. Such belt or chute preferably stops short of the length of thedesk and may deliver the carriers, if not previously removed by theoperator, into a trough forming a continuation of the guiding means, andalong which they are pushed by subsequently arriving carriers.

he carriers are thus presented before the operator in orderly successionand the operator is enabled to select the carriers in accordance withtheir order of arrival for return to the sending stations. Directlyabove such chute, belt or trough, the outgoing terminals of the carriertracks are banked in suitably spaced relation and With,- in convenientreach of the o rators stations. With the above descri ed arrangement itis possible for a single operator to serve a large number of outlyingstations in proper sequence and Without moving from lier place, thearrangement permittin the number of operators to be varied in irectratio to the fluctuations of the business. Moreover, by the employmentof two or more readily distinguishable kinds of carrier, as for example,carriers of contrasting color, cashiers and charge account authorizersmay use the same or opposite sides of the same desk, each set ofoperators removing the proper type of carrier from the belt, chute ortrough and depositing such carrier, after completing the necessarytransaction, in the dispatch end of the proper outgoing track. It isevident, however, that by the arrangement described, any operator isenabled, if necessary, to serve the outgoing stations both as to cashand credit transactions without moving from her place.

.flppuraius oi' the genus illustrated by the mcnliouel species issimple, inexpensivc,`and easy to kei p iu repair, and capable ofextension `to keep pace with the growth of the system. lVhile thedispatch terminals of the outgoing dispatch lines are shown as soarranged as to be operated by the receiving operators, the dispatchterminals may. if desii-ed, be arranged otherwise, as in a bank removedat some distance from the operator's station, and that carriers, afterthe desired manipulation b v the receiving operators, muy bc conveyed toSuch point by any convenient means, such as in the said lVliittierPatent No. 1,365,428, for return to the sending stations by a speciallyauthorized PVSUH Ul' pl'bltlls.

ln the accompanying drawings, there is shmvn b v Way of example oneembodiment of means suitable for carrying the above objects into effectand in such drawings,-

Fig. l is a longitudinal central vertical section through a typicalcentral-station apparatus constructed in accordance with the presentinvention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary transverse 'vertical cross section on a liucsuch as A-B of Fig. 1:

Fig. 3 is a similar cross section on a line such as C-D of Fig. l;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view, to smaller scale, of the device of Fig. 1,certain parts being omitted;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary detail plan view ol the device ot' Fig. 1, partsbeing omitted for clearncss in illustration;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary elevation of one lll) lill

end of apparatus for the saine uses as that of Fig. 1, illustrating amodification;

Fig. 7 is a longitudinal section illustrating a further modification;

Fig. 8 is a diagrammatic plan view, partly broken away, illustratingr acentral station of the type herein disclosed and showing a preferredarrangement of the operators stations when both cashiers and creditaccount authorizers are employed;

Fig. 9 is a similar dia rammatic view showing the arrangement w en asingle operator is depended upon for performing the work both of acashier and a credit authorizer; and

Fig. 10 is a front elevation, partl broken away, of a central stationdesk o further modified construction.

The apparatus as herein illustrated comprises an elongate table or desk1 which is substantially symmetrical with respect to its longitudinalaxis. At a selected portion of such desk, and preferably spaced from thelefthand end thereof as indicated in Fig. 8, operators stations, as atX, Y, are located :it either side thereof, the cashiers occupyingstations X, and the charge account authorizers the stations Y. Extendingcentrally of this desk or table is a slot 3 of substantially the widthof the usual carrier and having a bottom wall 4 (Fig. 2), such slotdefining a guideway for the passage of carriers longitudinally of thedesk. At that portion of the desk located opposite the operatorsstations, the desk is provided with depressions 5, 6, having the bottomwalls, 7, 8 and the inner side walls 9, 10, the latter walls definingthe edges of the guide slot 3 at this portion of the desk. Thedepressions 5, 6 serve for the reception of the cashiers tills and alsoto receive the contents of the carriers as the latter are emptied by theoperators. lf desired, the right-hand portion of the guide slot 3 asviewed in Fig. l, may be somewhat wider than the remainder of the slot,such widened part being indicated at While this arrangement may bedesirable under certain circumstances, it will in many cases bepreferred to continue the guide slot. of uniform width throughout theentire length of the desk.

Above the guide slot, at that portion of the desk located between the oerators stations, an elevated table 12, Figs. 1 and 3, mounted uponsuitable supports 13, 14 is provided. At the left-hand end of the desk,see Figs. i and 2, a guiding and supporting device is arranged, thisdevice comprising the end wall 15 and the spaced parallel side walls 16,17. The side walls 16, 17 are spaced apart a distance substantiallyequal io the width of the slot 3 and serve to continue the sides of thelatter upwardly to a height suoli as effeetually to prevent the lateralescape of carriers from the slot as Associated with each of the tracks19 is a cable designated 20, 20 and 20", respectively. These cables passdownwardly through openings in the top of the desk and about guidepulleys 21, 21, 2lb respectively. The cables then pass about drivepulleys 22, 22", 22'J and thence upwardly about guide pulleys 23, Fig.2, and about other pulleys, not shown, to the dispatch terminalshereinafter described. The lower ends of the several rail devices 19 arediverted laterally as indicated at 24 Fig. 2) the ends 25\of the railsextending ownwardl between the side walls 16, 17 of the guiding andsupporting device previously described. Preferably the ends 25 of therails are somewhat curved, as indicated in Fig. 1, whereby carriersdelivered from the ends of such rails are deposited roperly and inorderly fashionupon the oor of the guide slot 3 after being releasedfrom the cable by usual cam 24B.

if desired, each rail terminal may be provided with a buffer device 26for absorbing a portion of the shock of the carrier as the latterarrives near the end of the railway. This buffer device may comprise alever pivoted at a point such as 27, and having a suitable pistonmovable in a cylinder 28, the piston and cylinder operating as a dashpot to absorb the shock of arrival of the carrier. This buffer deviceoperates to slow down the carriers but docs not interfere with theirfree discharge from the lower ends of the rails.

Extending longitudinally of the slot 3 is an endless belt 29 forming amovable floor for such slot. This belt passes around the drive pulley 30and about the guide pulley 31, such pulleys being mounted upon shafts32, 33, respectively journaled in the frame of the desk. For tensioningthis beit, weighted roll 34 may be provided, this roll resting upon thelower run of the belt and being su ported by lever arms 35 carried byasha t 36 slidably mounted in the frame of the desk. The pulley 30 maybe driven by a belt 37 passing about a pulley 33 fixed upon a shaft 3S),such shaft being journaled in the supporting members 2 of the desk, andalso having mounted thereon the several drive pulleys 22, 22, 22", forthe cables previously referred to.

The belt 29 as herein shown terminates at the point 46 intermediate thelength of the desk, although under some circumstances it may be desiredto continue suoli belt throughlllll out the entire length of the slot 3.The widened portion 11 of the slot 3, see Figs. 1 and 3, 1s providedwith a smooth bottom Wall 41 upon which carriers 42 oi' the usualelongate form employed in cable systems may be deposited by the belt 29.

Upon the top of the elevated table 12 are arranged a series of supports43, such supports having 'mounted therein guide pulleys such as 44, 44,44h, about which extend cables 45, 45, 45 respectively. These cables arecontinuations of the cables 20, 20, 20", respectively, and are led fromthe delivery devices over suitable pulleys (not shown), to the pulleys44, 44a, 44". These cables cooperate with the dispatch ends 46, 46, 46h,respectively, of a series of railways corresponding to the railway 10and which extend to the several sending stations. The dispatch ends ofthe several rails may be constructed in the usual manner and may belettered or numbered, as at 47, Fig. 3 to indicate the station withwhich they conimunicate.

By assembling the delivery ends of all of the several rails at the endportion of the desk, it is made possible to bank both the -receiving andthe dispatch ends ot such rails in close proximity to each other asindicated in Fig. 1, and this places the dispatch ends 46, etc., wherethey are readily accessible to operators located at either side ot thedesk. By reason of this compact arrangement it is also possible for asingle operator to reach a large number of such dispatch terminalsWithout removing from her position, it being understood that the threeterminals illustrated in Fig. 1 designate plurality.

without speciiic number, and are typically illustrative of arrangementswherein a much larger number of terminals may be banked in a singlegroup as indicated in Fig. 8, for instance, or 1n spaced groups, ascircumstances may demand.

In the device shown in Fig. 6 the desk is indicated at 50, such deskbeing supported upon the members` 51 and having the elevated table 52 ata point opposite the operators stations. This table serves to supportthe dispatch terminals 53, 5S, 53 respectivel of a series of railwayswhile a supporting and guiding device comprising the spaced side members55, 56, serve to support the delivery ends 57, 57, 57 b of acorresponding series of railways. This supporting and uiding device isprovided with an inclined ottom wall 58, thus forming a chute into whichthe carriers are delivered from the several rail terminals. Such carnriers slide down alon this bottom wall 58 and into the guide sot 54which extends longitudinally of the table top. In this device theconveyor belt is omitted, the inoline of the guiding chute beingdepended upon for imparting suicient momentum to mames provided byanendless belt 64 trained about the driving pulley 65 and the guidepulley G6, such belt being tensioned by the weighted roller 67. Beyondthe termination of the belt 64, the bottom of the slot 61 is provided bythe stationary member 68 upon which the carriers may be delivered by thebelt. The delivery ends or" the several railways are indicated at 69a,G9", respectively, such ends serving to deliver carriers into aninclined chute having the bottom wall 70 from which the carriers slideonto the belt.

ln Fig. 10 the desk 1*L is illustrated as provided with inclined guidechutes 100, 101 at either end thereof, such chutes having associatedtherewith the banks of delivery terminals 102, 103 respectively, theseterminals herein being indicated as the ends of guide rails of a cablecarrier system, it being understood, however, that other types ofcarrier guide might be substituted therefor if desired. The carriersdelivered uponthe chutes 100, 101 respectively are received upon theupper runs of endless belt conveyors 104, 105 arranged in an elongateguide slot corresponding to the guide slot 3 of the previously describeddevices, and are thereby delivered upon the stationary floor 10Gdisposed opposite the operators stations. Aboe this stationary floor 10Gis arranged the supporting table 107 upon which are secured the lowerends of the dispatch terminals 108. With this arrangement a relativelylarge namber of outlying stations may he cared for by one or moreoperators' seated at the central part otthe desk, thus providing a verycompact; type of central station such as is particularly adapted for usein small establishments where but little space is available for thepurpose. lViiile as herein illustrated the belt conveyors 104. 105 areemployed. it is contemplated that when the desk is of relativelysmalhdimensions such conveyors may be omitted, thtinclination of 'thechutes being suilicient to cause the carfiers to more to the cent ralpart of the desk.

In the operation of the device ol Figs. 1, 2 and 3, carriers arrivingalong the guide rails 19 are diverted from their normal path and out ofengagement with the driving cable at the point 24, and after beingslowed down by contact with the butler members 26, the carriers aredropped freely from the ends 25 of the rails. By reason ot the cnrvatureof the rail ends the carriers are de posited in an orderly manner bywhich they are moved longitudinally of the guide slot 3, and if notpreviously removed by the opera- FIB hun

tor, are finally pushed in succession, onto the stationary floor 11 ofthe guide slot. As the guide slot 3 is of a width such as to pre= ventany' substantial turning of the elongate carriers during their movementlongitudinally vof the desk, the orientation of the carriers as theyarrive opposite the operators stations is substantially identical. Theoperator is thus enabled to grasp the carrier with a minimum ofvoluntary effort, and in such a manner as to permit opening of the samewith the utmost dispatch. It is also clear that by the arrangementdescribed carriers are presented to the operators in the order of theirarrival so thatthe transaction of making change or therlike and thereturn of the carriers may be properly performed in accordance withtheir sequence in arriving, the entire series of unopened carriers beingat all times visible. It is also clear that as the dispatch terminalsare located within easy reach of the operators stations 1t is possiblefor the operator to return carmers to their sending points with theleast possible delay. In the several figures of the drawing, one endonly of the desk is illustrated, it being evident that the desk may bemade as long as desired, and that additional banks of delivery anddispatch terminals may e added if necessary. It is also con-l templatedthat banks of delivery terminals may be so disposed as to direct theircarriers toward a common bank of dispatch terminals.

In order to permit cash and credit carriers to be distinguished it isproposed to mark.

such. carriers with contracting colors, or to provide them with othermeans such as to permit the credit authorlzers who if desired may beseated at `the stations Y upon one side l of the desk, to select creditcarriers from the stream of carriers arriving, without necessitating themechanical separation of such carriers from the cash carriers which areequally accessible to the cashiers seated t lthe stations X the oppositeside of the es business becomes so small that a single person cantransact both the cash and credit operationsz the carriers are alwayssolocated in the guide slot as to be accessible to a single operatorseated as at Z, Fig. 9, and at either side of the desk as may be mostconvenient. With this arrangement it is extremely easy to shift theoperators about in `iccordance with the demands of the business, and todetermine the number of operators employed at any time in direct ratioto the number of transactions performed without necessitatin anyelaborate mechanical means for distri uting the incoming carriers to thevarious operators while at the same -time the care of supervision of theemployees is atly reduced.

lise devices illustrated in Figs. 6 and 7 It is also clear that if thevolume of proach the center of the desk from opposite directions. Theoperators may be located at this desk substantially as indicated inFigs. 8 or 9 and may care for the incoming carriers and for their returnto the sending stations in the same manner as previously described.

What we claim is:

1. A central station for a cable carrier dispatch system having thereina plurality of downwardly directed railway delivery terminals, commonmeans for receiving all carriers delivered from the several terminals,and means for causing carriers deposited upon said receiving means tomove successivcly in a given path lying between operators. stations andwithin convenient reach therefrom,

2. A central station apparatus comprising in combination a bank ofdelivery terminals from which carriers of a plurality of distinctclasses may be discharged, means for re`ceiving all of such carriers andfor moving them past the station of an operator, and a bank of carrierdisptach terminals within convenient reach from said operators station.

3. A central station apparatus for cable carrier dispatch systemscomprising a plurality of carrier delivery terminals from which carriersof a plurality of distinct classes may be discharged, and means forsupporting the carriers and causingall carriers delivered from all saidterminals to move in a common path extending longitudinally of thesupporting means, and operators stations disposed at the opposite sidesof the sup orting means and at substantially equal istances from. saidpath.

central station for carrier systems providing stations for oppositelyfacing operators and comprising a lurality of carrier deliveryterminals, and) means for causing carriers delivered from all of saidtermlnals to move toward a int at whichthey are equally accessible whl ein transit to operators at either of said stations.

5. In `combination in a carrier dispatch system of that type wherein thecarriers are moved along a track b y an endless cable, a central stationcomprising a bank of deliversrack sections having their terminals in suantial alignment, said track sections being so constructed and arrangedasy to permit carriers to drop freely therefrom, and a guideway forreceiving carriers from the several terminals.

6. A central station apparatus comprising a series of pairs of terminalrail sections for carriers for delivery at said station, said railsections each being curved adjacent to its extremity, and common meansfor receiving all carriers delivered by the respective pairs of railsections and moving them in a single and accessible stream past anoperators station.

7. A central station Jfor carrier dispatch systems comprising a deskproviding operators stations at either side thereof, a series of carrierdelivery terminals adjacent to one end of said desk, a guideway forcarriers extending longitudinally of said desk and centrally of thewidth thereof, and means for causing all carriers delivered by theseveral terminals -to move in orderly succession along said guideway,and past the operators stations.

8. A central station apparatus comprising a carrier delivery terminalanelongate guideway for carriers delivered from said terminal, saidguideway having a longitudinally movable floor, a trough in continuationof said gnideway and having a stationary fioor extending substantiallyin the plane of the movable floor, and means for imparting movement tosaid movable fioor whereby to cause carriers to move toward said trough.

9. A central station apparatus comprising a delivery terminal having itsextremity curved in a vertical plane` and a chute having relatively highside walls and an inclined bottom, the curved portion of said terminaldepending between the walls of said chute.

Yl0. A central station apparatus comprising a` vertical carrier deliveryterminal having a curved extremity, an inclined chute having side wallsbetween which said curved extremity depends, a belt conveyor alignedwith said chute and constructed and arranged to receive carrierstherefrom, and a trough aligned with said belt conveyor for retainingcarriers delivered by said belt.

11. A central station apparatus comprising a carrier delivery terminal,an inclined open chute having relatively high side walls between whichsaid terminal depends, and a belt conveyor arranged at the delivery endof the chute for conveying carriers away therefrom.

12. In combination in a carrier dispatch system of that type wherein thecarriers are moved along a track by an endless cable, a

central station com rlsing a vertically disposed track section aving anassociated run of cable extending parallel therewith, a guideway forcarriersdisposed to one side of said track section, and a terminal tracksection forming a continuation of said vertical section but oifsettherefrom and terminating within said guideway for delivering carriersthereinto.

13. A central station guiding for carrier dispatch systems of the typeemploying an endless cable for moving the carrier, said stationcomprising a bank of delivery terminals, a bank of dispatch terminalsspaced therefrom, conveyor means for causing carriers delivered fromsaid first named terminals to move toward the dispatch terminals, andcommon means for actuating the endless cable and for simultaneouslydriving said conveyor means.

14. A central station for carrier dispatch systems comprising a deliveryterminal, means for causing a carrier delivered from such terminal tomove in a substantially rectilinear path, operators stations at oppositesides of said path, and Within convenient reach thereof, and means formaintaining unchanged the orientation ot such carrier throughout itsmovement along a portion at least of said path.

15. A central station Jfor carrier dispatcn systems comprising adelivery terminal, a guide slot for carriersdelivered from saidterminal, said guide slot being constructe and arranged to preventturning of a carrier therein, and means for causing a carrier depositedin said guide slot to move lengthwise of the same.

16. A central station for carrier dispatch systems wherein carriers ofelongate form are employed comprising an open topped guideway havingiiXed side walls spaced apart a distance substantially equal to thewidth of the carriers` a carrier delivery terminal constructed andarranged to deliver carriers into the space between said walls, andmeans for moving such carriers along said guideway.

17. A central station for carrier dispatch systems providing a pluralityof operators stations and a series of carrier delivery terminals, asubstantially horizontal guideway extending longitudinally of said sta`tions. said guideway being of a width Substantially equal to that of thecarriers employed, a belt conveyor arranged within said guideway andconstituting the door thereof forv a portion of its length, and meansfor actuating said belt whereby to cause carriers delivered into saidguidewa from said terminals to travel longitudina ly of the guideway.

18. In combination in a carrier dispatch system of that type wherein thecarriers are moved along a tra :k b an endless cable, a central stationcomprising a plurality of operators stations, and a bank of dispatchtrack terminals common to and within reach of each Iof said stations.

19. A central station comprising a plurality of receiving terminal railsections of a. cable carrier system, an operators station spacedtherefrom, common means for conveying all carriers delivered by said totminal sections to the operators station, and a bank of dispatch railsections for cable lines returning to the points of origin of thecarriers delivered` by the respective receiving terminal sections, saidbank of dispatch sections being arranged adjacentto the operatorsstation.

20. A central stationcomprising a desk having adjacent to one endthereof a bank of carrier receiving terminals, an operators station atthe side of the desk, an endless, movable belt for receiving carriersdelivered by said terminals and for conveying" carriers to saidoperators station, and a bank of dispatch terminals arranged in a planeabove that of the b elt and 'with inconvenient distance ofthe operatorsstation.

21. A central station comprising a desk having operators stations uponeither side thereof, a guideway for carriers extending longitudinallyand centrally of the desk, a table spaced above said guidevvay at theregion of the operators stations, a bank of dispatch terminals upon saidtable, a bank of delivery terminals adjacent to one end of saidguideway, and means for causing carriers delivered by said terminals tomove in orderly succession along said guide'way and within reach of theoperators stations.

22. A central station comprising an elongate guideway, an operatorsstation upon either side thereof, a plurality of carrier dispatchterminals arranged vvithin reach of each of said stations, and means forcausing carriers to move in orderly succession along said guideway.

23. A central stationvcomprising an elongate guideway, an operatorsstation at either side thereof, a plurality of carrier dispatchterminalsy arranged above said guideway andA intermediate the endsthereof, and means for causing carriers to move toward the centralportion of said guideway from either end thereof,

24. A central station comprising an elongate guideway, an operatorsstation substantially midway of the length thereof and an inclined chuteat either en'd of said guideway for delivering carriers thereto fromopposite directions.

25. A central station comprising an elongate guidevvay for carriers,operators stations substantially midway of the length thereof, a bank ofcarrier delivery terminals Within reach of said stations, and chutes fordelivering carriers into opposite ends of said guideway.

26. A central station for cash carrier systems comprising an elongateguideway for carriers, operators stations upon either side of saidguideway and intermediate the ends thereof, a bank of carrier deliveryterminals disposed above said guideway and within reach of saidstations, and a pair of chutes inclined downwardly in oppositedirections and constructed and arranged to deliver carriers into theopposite ends of said guideways.

27. A central station comprising an elongate desk having operatorsstations upon either side thereof, a table extending lon i tudinally ofthe desk in the region of t e operators stations and elevated above thecentral part thereof, a plurality of carrier dis atch terminals mountedupon said table, an means for delivering carriers at the central portionof the desk and beneath said table for convenient access to operatorsupon either side of the table.

Signed by us at Boston, Massachusetts,

this second day of August, 1922.

FREDERICK G. WHI'I'IIER. HAROLD S. THAYER. Y.

Lasagne minal sections to the operators station, and a bank of dispatchrail sections for cable lines returning to the points of origin of thecarriers delivered by the respective receiving terminal sections, saidbank of dispatch sections being arranged adjacent to the operatorsstation.

20. A central station comprising a desk having adjacent to one endthereof a bank of carrier receiving terminals, an operators station atthe side of the desk, an endless, movable belt for receiving carriersdelivered by said terminals and for conveying'carriers to said operatorsstation, and a ank of dispatch terminals arranged in a plane above thatof the belt and with inconvenient distance of ithe operators station.

21. A central station comprising a desk having operators stations uponeither side thereof, a guideway for carriers extending longitudinallyand centrally of the desk, a table spaced above said guideway at theregion of the operators stations, a bank of dispatch terminals upon saidtable, a bank of delivery terminals adjacent to one end of saidguideway, and means for causing carriers delivered by said terminals tomove in orderly succession along said guide'way and within reach of theoperators stations.

22. A central station comprising an elongate guideway, an operatorsstation upon either side thereof, a plurality of carrier dispatchterminals arranged within reach of each of said stations, and means forcausing carriers to move in orderly succession along said guideway.

2B. A central station comprising an elongate guideway, an operatorsstation at either side thereof, a plurality of carrier dispatchterminals arranged above said guideway and intermediate the endsthereof, and means for causing carriers to move thereof, a bank ofcarrier toward the central portion of said guideway from either endthereof.

24. A central station comprising an elongate guideway, an operator-sstation substantially midway of the length thereof and an inclined chuteat either end of said guideway for delivering carriers thereto fromopposite directions.

25. A central station comprising an elongate guideway for carriers,operators stations substantially midway of the length delivery terminalswithin reach of said stations, and chutes for delivering carriers intoopposite ends of said guideway.

26. A central station for cash carrier systems comprising an elongateguideway for carriers, operators stations upon either side of saidguideway and intermediate the ends thereof, a bank of carrier deliveryterminals disposed above said guideway and within reach of saidstations, and a pair of chutes inclined downwardly in oppositedirections and constructed and arranged to deliver carriers into theopposite ends of said guideways.

27. A central station comprising an elongate desk having operatorsstations upon either side thereof, a table extending lon itudinally ofthe desk in the region of 51e operators statlons and elevated above thecentral part thereof, a plurality of carrier dispatch terminals mountedupon said table, an means for delivering carriers at the central portionof the desk and beneath said table for convenient access to operatorsupon either side of the table.

Signed by us at Boston, Massachusetts, this second day of August, 1922.

FREDERICK G. WHI'ITIER. HAROLD S. THAYER.

Certificate of Correction.

It is hereby certified that in Letters Patent No. 1,537,569. granted May12, 1925,

upon the application of Frederick G. lVliittier, of Ipswich.Massachusetts, and

Harold S. Thayer. tions for Carrier-Dispatch Systems, requiringcorrection as follows: Page 7, convenient read with this correction casein the Patent Oflice.

of Tenatly, New Jersey,

an error appears in line 16, claim 20. for the \vordswith inread within,conecm'mzt; and that the said Letters therein that the same may conformto the record of the for an improvement in Central Stathe printedspecification Patent should be Signed and sealed this 28th day of July,A. D. 1925.

[sun] KARL FENNING, Acting Commissz'oner of Pate/nts.

Certificate of Correction.

It is hereby certified that in Letters Potent No. 1,537,569. granted May12, 1925, upon the application of Frederick G. Whittier` of lpswivh.Massachusetts, and Harold S. Thayer. of Tcnafiy, New Jersey, for animprovement in Central Stations for Carrier-Dispatch Systems, an errorappears in the printed specification requiring correction as follows:Page 7, line 16, claim 20. for the words-With inconvenient read withinConvenient; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with thiscorrection therein that the same may conform to the record of the casein the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this %th day of July, A. D. 1925.

[smh] KARL FENNING,

A ating Commissioner of Patents.

